As you age, your back becomes hunched and stooped. When your back is hunched, it not only causes pain but also increases the risk of a herniated disc, making prevention important. Strengthening your back muscles can improve posture, enhance your appearance in clothes, and overall improve your quality of life. Here, we explore ways to strengthen your back muscles.

 

◇Back muscles are not used well, making them easy to weaken.

 

To prevent a hunched back, you need to pay attention to your 'back muscles.' When the back muscles weaken, it is easy for the back to become hunched and develop a turtle neck. The less you exercise regularly, the more likely your muscles are to weaken overall. In particular, back muscles are often not used much in daily life, making them prone to weakening.

The erector spinae, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi are the representative back muscles. The erector spinae attaches long from the cervical spine to the pelvis, playing a crucial role in spinal movement and the stability of soft tissues such as discs, ligaments, and tendons. The trapezius also requires attention. It is heavily involved in the movement of the scapula and arm, and attaches to the spine, making it important for spinal stability as well. The latissimus dorsi originates from the spine and lower back, wraps around beneath the armpit, and extends to the arm, corresponding to the middle back muscles. The latissimus dorsi helps in bringing the arm inward and pulling it backward.

 

People who usually work sitting down tend to keep their back muscles tense for a long time, which impairs blood circulation, causing the back muscles to become damaged and dry out. Initially, only the muscles weaken, but over time, it can lead to a hunched back and turtle neck.

 

◇How to stimulate the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae muscles

 

To strengthen the back muscles, you should regularly stimulate the back muscles through simple daily movements.

1. The trapezius muscle is exercised by holding a light wooden stick with both hands, gripping it slightly narrower than shoulder width, and lifting the stick so that the arms are nearly parallel to the shoulders. Perform 20 repetitions per set, for 3 sets daily.

 

2. To strengthen the latissimus dorsi, sit down in a squat position while holding onto the ends of a chair with both hands and then stand up. Do 20 repetitions per set, three sets a day.

 

3. Exercises to strengthen the erector spinae muscles are helpful, such as lifting one arm and the opposite leg while in a quadruped position. At this time, the arm and leg should be lifted so that they form a straight line with the torso. It is recommended to do 20 repetitions per set, three sets a day. Lying face down on the floor with a pillow under the abdomen and lifting the upper body to hold for 2-3 seconds is also beneficial. During this exercise, there should be no back pain. It is important not to over-bend. Doing 20 repetitions per set, three times a day, is ideal.

 

Meanwhile, protein intake is also important. The recommended daily protein intake for adults is 0.8 to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. For an adult weighing 60 kg, consuming 60 grams of protein per day is sufficient. If the person is in a state of sarcopenia with significant muscle loss, they should consume 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to improve muscle condition. It is best to consume a balanced mix of animal and plant proteins.

 

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Trapezius muscle at the orthopedic clinic

It's often recommended because it's good for turtle neck.

 

It seems that exercising a single part is more difficult.

I guess I should at least try to imitate while looking at the picture.